Signaling lamp



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SIGNALING LAMP Filed March 26, 1938 3 Sheets--Sheet 1 INVENT0R.,$` WGN TEAUTNE/Q HERBERT E. METCAL F Nov. 22, 1938. w. TRAUTNER ET A. 2,137,319

` SIGNALING LAMP Filed'uarc 26, 195s sheets-sheet 2 INVENTORS WA GN 779A UTNER Hees/ger E. Ms TCA L F NOV. 22, 1938. w. TRAUTNER ET AL' 2,137,319

S IGNALING LAMP Filed Mairch 26, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 .96 INVENTORS WAGN TPAUTN B/EPBE/QT E. M' ALF Patented Nov. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIGNALING LAMP Wagn Trautner,

Springdale, Ohio, and Herbert Application March 26, 1938, Serial No. 198,254

3 Claims.

Our invention relates to signaling lamps and more particularly to duplex lamps wherein both an indexing indication and a non-indexing indication are desired.

Among the objects of our invention are: to provide a combined indexing lamp and a nonindexing lamp mounted as a single unit; to provide indexing and non-indexing lamps mounted on the same body; to provide-indexing and nonindexing lamps capable of being combined in different positions; and to provide a vehicle signaling system wherein a pair of indexing lamps indicating direction changes, are provided with nonindexing indicators` connected to show acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle to which the system is attached.

Other objects of our invention will be apparent or will be specifically pointed out in the description forming a part of this specication, but we do not limit ourselves to the embodiment herein described, as various forms may be adopted within the scope of the claims.

Our invention may be more fully understood by direct reference to the drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a top plan view, partly in section, of a combined indexing and non-indexing lamp.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken as indicated by the line 2.-2 in Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a face view of the lamp of Figs. l and 2 with the non-indexing portion in one position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar tol that of Fig. 3with the non-indexing portion in another position.

Fig. 5 is a View, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the non-indexing lamp provided with a reflector.

Fig. 6 is a circuit diagram showing one form of circuit in which the lamps of our invention may be utilized.

in Fig. 1 a lamp body I preferably of symmetrical stream line design is provided on the open end thereof with a mask retainer 2 holding in place an indexing mask 3 having inset translucent lenses Il, the lenses being preferably `in the shape of an arrow. In the interior of the lamp body an indexing reflector 5 is held against the body by pressure exerted by mask retainer 2 through waterproof gasket 6. Mask retainer 2 is held on body I by a locking lug 1 diametrically opposite retaining screw 8. An indexing lamp bulb 8 is positioned in a socket I0 formed on the apex of reflector 5. The end of the socket I is provided with an insulator II carrying center lamp contact I2, connected to connection wire I4. Mounted on lamp socket IIJ is a lamp bracket I supporting a non-indexing lamp socket IB carrying anon-indexing lamp il. Lamp socket I6 also carries a center connection I8 to which non-indexing lamp wire I9 is connected. Bracket I5, lamp socket I6 and non-indexing lamp I1 extend upwardly to pass through body I at aperture 20, this aperture being provided if desired, either by boring at the proper location or by providing body I with knockout portions 2l, these portions being outlined by a groove 22 weakening the body wall at the desired point, so that the application of a blow at that point will cause thewall to break and thus form aperture 20.

An auxiliary lamp body 25 is provided tting the outer surface of lamp body I, this auxiliary lamp body being provided at the lamp end thereof with a non-indexing lens 26 adjacent lamp Il. Auxiilary lamp body 25 is held to main body I by a single screw 2l, the head of which is on the inside of body I and bearing against a screw boss 28. The threads ,of screw 2l enter a thread boss 29, being a part of auxiliary body 25. To prevent the tail oi the auxiliary body from swinging laterally, a positioning boss 30 is provided entering .a positioning hole 3I at the rear of body I.

Body I is preferably provided with a mounting bracket 32 having a curved lower surface 33, as described and claimed in the Trautner application, Serial No. 174,573, filed November 15, 1937, entitled Signal lamp bracket.

inasmuch as the lamp of our invention is adapted for use as auxiliary equipment on vehicles, particularly automotive vehicles, base 32 may be applied to the vehicle at a number of points. Ii on the fenders, lamp body I will be upright; if, however, it is desired to place lamp body I on the side of the vehicle in the position shown in Fig. 3, then it is quite possible for auxiliary body 25 and lens 26 to extend laterally too far, and consequently it may be necessary or desirable to apply the auxiliary body 25 to the main lamp body I in a different position, such as shown in Fig. 4. In order that the position of auxiliary lamp body 25 may be placed in diierent relative positions, we have provided three knockout portions 2|, 90 apart, and three screw bosses 28 in proper relative position to knockouts 2l.

It may be desirable to ship to the consumer lamp bodies I without having any of the knockouts opened, or any screw bosses bored, or any positioning apertures drilled. Under these conditions, the lamps may be used by the consumer any way he may desire; for example, if it is desired that the consumer utilize the indexing lamp alone, he may remove bracket l5 from lamp socket lil, leave all the knockouts 2| in place,

either the right or left lamps.

and utilize the lamp as an entirety with only the indexing bulb 9. If, however, he desires to utilize the combination of the indexing and nonindexing lamps, he may do so and he may utilize the non-indexing body in any one of the three positions desired by proceeding as follows: The empty lamp body l has the desired knockout 2| removed therefrom. With a drill extending through the main opening in lamp body I, a hole is drilled through boss 28 for screw 21, the position of the face of boss 28 being such that this face can be reached through a drill extending through the lamp opening; and, if desired, a center punch depression or similar indentation may be supplied in order to start the hole properly. Hole 3| is then drilled in line with aperture 28 and boss 28. Auxiliary body 25 is then applied to the main body and screw 21 inserted, thus fixing the auxiliary body to the main body. Indexing reflector 5 carrying socket I8 and nonindexing bulb |1 is then inserted with a rotary motion so that bulb |1 will extend through aperture 28. Gasket 6, mask 3 and lens 4 are then held in place by the applica-tion of retainer 2 and screw 8 is tightened. The lamp is now ready to be placed on the vehicle.

In certain cases it may be desirable to provide non-indexing bulb |1 with a reflector of its own. Under these circumstances the lens opening in auxiliary body 25 may be provided with reflector threads 48 and an auxiliary reflector 4| provided, the end being prolonged to form the non-indexing socket i5. Non-indexing lens 28 may be held in a collar 42, attached to reector 4| by a bayonet lock 43. Thus the bulb I1, reflector 4| and lens 26 may be removed as a unit, or lens 25 and collar 42 may be removed to replace lamp I1. In this type of construction the center contact of non-indexing bulb 1 is pushed against a resilient connection strip 44 fastened to indexing reflector 5 by an insulator 45, thereby providing a connection for wire I9.

In Fig. 6 we have shown one form of circuit in which our invention may be utilized. Here -a switch disc 50 is xedly attached to Vehicle starting gear 5|, this disc carrying right and left conductive sectors 52 and 53 bearing against right and left brushes 54 and 55. 'I'hese brushes are connected through right and left lamp lines 56 and 51 to right and leftfront lamps 50 and 6|. Extending from right and left lamp lines 56 and 51 are right and left rear connections 52 and 63, respectively, energizing right and left indexing bulbs 9 and 9', each mounted in a lamp body with the proper direction of indexing lenses 4. In parallel with disc 50 is a hand disc 10 operated by a handle 1| and centered by centering springs 12. Hand disc 10 carries a segmental contact 13 in connection with a common brush 14, connected to vehicle battery 15 through balancing resistor 16 and ignition switch 11. Common brush 18 bearing against disc 50 is connected through release solenoid 19 surrounding magnetic core 80 positioned to withdraw a pawl 8| forced into notches 82 in disc 10 by spring 83.

The other end of solenoid 19 connects to source 15 through ignition switch 11. When the hand disc 10 is moved either to right or left it will energize the corresponding indexing lamps and will remain in energizing position by virtue of pawl 8| falling into notches 82, until such time as steering gear 5| is moved to make a vehicle turn whereupon disc 5U will rotate to itself energize In either case current will then ow through solenoid 19, pawl 8| will be withdrawn from a notch 82, and the handle 1| will be centered and circuit through the hand switch broken.

We prefer to utilize the non-indexing bulbs |1 as an acceleration and deceleration signal, or, as it is called in the trade, a slow signal, and we prefer to utilize a friction driven switch such as described and claimed by Howard in his Patent No. 2,096,745. We attach this switch to the butterfly axle extending through intake manifold 9| to rotate the throttle valve 92 of the vehicle on which the system is mounted. The butterfly axle is rotated in the usual manner by throttle connection 93. The slow switch comprises a disc 94 frictionally driven only from axle 98 by spring clutch 95, this disc being allowed only a short arc of rotation, this arc being determined by the distance between the stop pins 96 against which stop arm 91 operates.

When the throttle is being opened conductive disc segment 98 makes no contact between switch brushes 99, but when the throttle is being closed segment 98 bridges brushes 99 and causes current to pass between brushes 99. One brush 99 is connected to source 15 through ignition switch 11 and the other brush is connected by lateral wires |00 to both non-indexing lamp bulbs |1.

We have thus provided a signaling system wherein at the front of the vehicle indexing lamps only are used, whereas at the rear of the vehicle a combination lamp house is provided wherein the main lamp gives an indexing signal and the auxiliary lamp gives a non-indexing signal corresponding to deceleration of the vehicle. We have found that on vehicles utilizing indexing lamps, particularly in traffic where the indexing lamps are most useful, that following drivers Watch the indexing lamps and consequently by placing non-indexing slow signals immediately adjacent to the indexing signals, they are readily seen. Furthermore, by the construction herein described and claimed, we are able to supply a complete signaling system which may be used either entirely or in part only and in different .y

positions on the vehicle.

We claim:

1. In a vehicle signaling system, a signaling lamp comprising a main lamp house, an indexing lens and mask for said main house, an auxiliary lamp house removably attached to a side wall of said main'lamp house, one side of said auxiliary lamp house being open to t said side wall of said main house and being held on said side wall by a single screw passing through a boss 0n the inner surface of said side wall, the axis of said screw, when projected, passing through the open end of said main lamp house when said lens and mask is removed.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said auxiliary lamp is an assembly comprising said lamp, an auxiliary reflector therefor, said non-indexing lens being mounted on the end of said auxiliary reflector, and wherein said contact means is resilient to make contact .with a center connection of said auxiliary lamp.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein other bosses are provided around said inner surface to provide for different locations of said auxiliary lamp house around the side wall of said main lamp house.

WAGN TRAUTNER. HERBERT E. METCALF. 

